The Board and Staff at FRF have often been inspired by the dedication and passion that community members have for improving our Valley. None more so than former Board member, Angie Cisneros.

This week at our Honoring Board Members Past & Present luncheon, it was with great pleasure and admiration that Angie became the fifth Emeritus Board Member. The current Board of Directors selected Angie based on her commitment to the mission and vision of FRF, her stellar record of committee service, and several other criteria. Originally appointed to the board in 2004, Angie helped champion our competitive grantmaking process that has grown to award over one million dollars a year. However, her work with the Foundation did not end there. She has continued to serve on the Teen Pregnancy Prevention and High Impact grant cycles throughout her “retirement.”

Angie, who began work in the agricultural fields of our valley as a youth, adopted the principles taught by her grandmothers- to share with those less fortunate and work is rewarded with advancements in life. She has dedicated countless hours leading the FRF grants committee through dozens of grant cycles which included, reviewing hundreds of applications, and consistently attending site visits for grantees. The Foundation is indebted to Angie for both her past and continued service and for sharing her passion for helping others with us.
On behalf of the Board and Staff at FRF, thank you for all you do Angie – our new Emeritus Board Member!

Carving a pathway out of poverty for all children is the sentiment at the heart of the Fresno Regional Foundation’s High Impact grant cycle. In 2010, 1 of our 3 school-age children lived in poverty in Fresno County; an increase from 1 out of 4 in 2007.

To reach this goal, we believe we must strengthen two generations simultaneously. Children and parents do not exist in silos and neither should our solutions. To be effective, we must support quality education for young children and create stable, nurturing homes where children thrive socially, emotionally and educationally.

Since embarking on this journey in 2011, we have actively refined our grantmaking to learn from what works. In 2013, FRF contracted with a local research team to provide a comprehensive overview on the state of readiness for children ages 0 to 8, to review on-going initiatives focused on children ages 0 to 8 in the Valley, and to illuminate the bright spots where FRF’s High Impact grantees are working.

This year we continued to refine our work. The High Impact Advisory Committee – comprised of statewide and local early education experts, community leaders, and FRF Board members – met monthly to learn about organizations and initiatives focused on preparing children ages 0 to 8 for success by the 3rd grade.

Our research, refinement, and relationship-building culminated with the launch of our 2014 High Impact grant cycle on Friday. In the coming weeks, we look forward to sharing with you more about the state of children’s readiness in the Valley and about the on-going efforts in the Valley to help children succeed.

To learn more about the 2014 High Impact Grant Cycle, please visit our Grantmaking Page .

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Since accepting the position of Interim CEO for the Fresno Regional Foundation a few weeks ago, I have been impressed at the volume of philanthropic activity in our community. The Fresno Regional Foundation staff and Board of Directors are committed to work with donors, community members, and other interested stakeholders to discover new and creative ways to foster philanthropy in the Valley.

For those of you who know me, I am all about ideas and finding ways of doing things better. During this interim period, please feel free to give me a call, send an email, or stop by for a visit to share your thoughts and ideas so we can continue to enhance the value the Fresno Regional Foundation provides to donors and our community.

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Please welcome David Johnson as the interim CEO of the Fresno Regional Foundation. David is currently a member of our board, has been involved with the Fresno Regional Foundation in different capacities for many years, and has graciously agreed to serve in this capacity until the search for a new leader and CEO is successfully completed.

We are confident that with the collective efforts of David, our experienced staff, and our board, the Fresno Regional Foundation will continue to ably serve and support our donors and our community throughout the interim period. Don’t hesitate to contact David with questions or comments. David can be reached at [email protected]

We greatly appreciate all the efforts of Dan and our staff. Together they developed the core competencies which are now firmly embedded at the foundation. Those competencies allow us to take the next steps forward in asset growth and strategic services.

Please check the foundation’s webpage for periodic updates on the status/progress of our CEO search.

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The time has come. I have given the Board of Directors notice that June 27th will be my last day at the Fresno Regional Foundation. My wife and I are moving to Davis, CA, to be close to the grandkids.

I leave knowing that the Foundation is in extremely capable hands. We have smart, talented, hard-working, and passionate staff members. We have a Board of Directors poised to lead FRF in becoming the ‘go to place’ for philanthropy and the ‘thought leader’ for strategic philanthropy in the San Joaquin Valley.

The search for my replacement is underway, and the new CEO will be selected soon. During this transition, one of our Board members, David Johnson, has agreed to serve as interim CEO. Whether you are a donor, past board member, fund holder, grantee, or professional advisor, I can assure you that FRF is here and available to assist you..

It has been an honor and privilege to work with you. I have enjoyed the role I have played in our efforts to transform the San Joaquin Valley from good to great. We aren’t there yet, but we’re gaining on it.

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Thanks to an invitation from Smart Growth California, I attended a three-day statewide funders convening last week where I met with experts and other funders who are working to build healthy, equitable, and sustainable communities throughout California. I must say that prior to attending the conference, I had only a partial understanding of Smart Growth. But by the end of the three days, I walked away with a greater understanding of the integration of transportation, housing, green space, and equity which is at the heart of Smart Growth.

For example, in today’s cities, with our sprawling suburbs, a typical driver can easily drive over 20,000 miles a year. Historically, planners responded to this by increasing capacity – more freeways with more lanes. A few decades ago, planners started toying with the idea of mobility over capacity – buses, light rail, bike paths, etc. Smart Growth focuses on access – have people live where they work, eat, and socialize. Add affordable housing sprinkled with some green spaces in every neighborhood and you can get by with driving less than 8,000 miles a year. Plus, living near green spaces reduces obesity, cancer, heart disease, and improves mental health.

This integration will lead to a more equitable community to stem the ever widening gap between the haves and the have-nots. As Liu & Banauer say in their book, The Gardens of Democracy, “We are all better off when we are all better off”.

In 2013, FRF’s Environmental Grants Committee studied various environmental efforts and determined that Smart Growth is the best approach to improving our community. I’m pleased that our Board of Directors has continued to learn about Smart Growth, and will be granting $200,000 for Smart Growth in the fall 2014. And just this week, FRF Board set aside another $200,000 for our 2015 Environmental Grant Cycle.

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This past week was a great example of all that we are doing to be the philanthropic leader in the San Joaquin Valley.

Monday, our High Impact Committee met to learn more about ways to prepare Valley children for success by the third grade. Their monthly meeting included presentations about both local and national initiatives.

Tuesday morning I toured the Bay Area with 30 national funders learning about Smart Growth. These funders are looking for ways to invest in Smart Growth in the San Joaquin Valley. Even as a seasoned veteran, I learned a lot. I’ll share more on this later.

Wednesday, our Sr. Program Officer Sandra Flores, left for Washington, D.C., to attend National Grade Level Reading, Funder-to-Funder Partnerships. Fresno Regional Foundation has identified third grade as the pivotal investment point to change the trajectory of our youth, and the momentum is building across the nation.

Thursday, three of our staff members, Rico Guerrero, Kelvin Alfaro, and Lori Clanton participated in Abundant Community’s Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods workshops. You can read about the amazing changes all over the country by focusing on the assets and gifts of the people and neighborhoods instead of relying on government and charity support.
Friday, I spent a good part of the day talking with donors to learn what they care about and how FRF can help them make it happen.

While not every week includes this much travel, this week does reflect FRF’s constant attunement to new solutions and creative opportunities that can make our Valley a healthy, vibrant place.

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When we moved into our current offices in 2009, Lori Clanton, our Director of Administration, promptly displayed a framed copy of a Maya Angelou quote next to the coffee maker in our office kitchen. I’ve been reading this quote almost daily for five years, and I would like to share this quote with you.

You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. Do not complain. Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, then change the way you’ve been thinking – you may find a new solution. Never whine. Whining lets the brute know that a victim is in the neighborhood. Be certain that you do not die without having done something wonderful for humanity.
Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou, born April 4, 1928, St. Louis Missouri, and passed away May 28, 2014, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

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If you watch or read local news, you may have heard about STEALTH – Stop Trafficking Exploitation and Liberate through Hope. Click here to see the news coverage. This program was created by the Fresno Police Chaplaincy Department, and it is having a tremendous impact on keeping our young people safe.

By watching the news report, you would not know that an FRF donor is behind this program. We are proud that one of our donors heard about it through Charise Hansen, our Program Officer, and made a six-figure donation for STEALTH.

Without the contact with Charise, the donor would not have been aware of STEALTH. We love connecting donors to opportunities that match their charitable passions. Together with our donors, we learn about the needs and the local organizations responding to those needs. We all work together to craft the best solution.

I can tell you, when we delivered the large check, the only person in the room that had a bigger smile on his face than the Police Chaplain was the Donor.

Giving money wisely is not as easy as one might think. The Fresno State Humanics department is teaching our future funders, philanthropists, and board members how to do just that. Through the Fund for the Common Good, Fresno Regional Foundation Board members support this effort by providing the students real dollars to meet real needs in our community.

As part of a semester-long Philanthropy and Grantmaking class, 30 students received direct experience in the grantmaking process, encouraging community involvement and fostering leadership in philanthropy. In the end, their diligence culminated as they awarded $24,000 to three deserving local CBOs: Fresno Arts Council, GRID Alternatives, and the Good Neighbor Center.

Last Monday, I attended their Students4Giving Community Grant Awards presentation by the Humanics Department at Fresno State. As a stakeholder in this community, I was amazed and encouraged by the passion combined with intelligence of these young Humanics Scholars. I knew I was looking at the next generation of community leaders and change-makers.

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Giving through the Foundation

Fresno Regional Foundation helps donors achieve their charitable goals, and we serve as a bridge connecting philanthropy to community-based organizations that provide programs and services throughout the San Joaquin Valley.